Cryosphere and Climate

The reaction of the polar cryosphere to climate change is a key focus in climate research. Major research topics of APRI on polar ice and climate are the response of grounded ice to the disintegration of northern Larsen Ice Shelf at the Antarctic Peninsula, paleo-temperature interpretation from ice cores in Antarctica with respect to meteorological influences on the relationship between stable water isotopes and air temperature, the energy- and mass balance of glaciers in NW-Svalbard and NE-Greenland from extensive ground observations and modelling approaches as well as the mechanism of glacier outburst floods in NE-Greenland.

Further research encompasses the monitoring of snow and permafrost associated surface features such as thaw lakes and soil water state (frozen/unfrozen).

APRI research is located both in the Arctic and Antarctica with a broad field of applied methods covering satellite techniques, ice core interpretation, geophysical measurements as well as detailed ground observations of surface energy- and mass balance.